The Dark Robes Celebrate A Birthday
by RioloverBardenBellaforlife
Summary: A one shot created as a tribute to my favorite Rio fanfiction stories of all time. This sees the infamous villains of the Dark Robe Society hunting for birds to make a special dinner for their sadistic leader, Marco the hawk. For any fan of the Dark Robes, originally created by Kraft58, this story is a must read


**Author's Notes:**

**Hey everyone! I'm sure many of you might be shocked to see a new story in my list, especially one with this title. Well, allow me to explain. **

**This story has absolutely nothing to do with the ones I have been working on, it is just a one-shot that I created as a birthday present for my good friend, Kraft58. Most Rio fanfiction readers know that he was the great mind behind the Rio Dark Robe saga. These stories were the first ones I read on Rio fanfiction, and as many of you already know, inspired me to begin my own writing career on here. I wanted to share the finished project with you all. I hope everyone likes it :D**

**Just to be clear. This is a one shot, I am not abandoning my stories. In fact, another chapter should be dropping sooner than you all think. This is just a little bonus material if you will for you all to enjoy. And if any of you have yet to read Kraft58's stories, you should all get right on that. He's a master of his Kraft XD, and I can guarantee you won't be disappointed. **

**The Dark Robes Celebrate A Birthday**

The date was November 10, 1996, the setting Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was a truly lovely day in the jungle, but then again when was it not? All the birds in the region just outside of the city were having the greatest time singing and dancing. It was a celebration that could be seen for miles, the rainbow of colored birds standing out like a beacon among the background of dark green vegetation.

Within the hollow of a particularly tall palm tree sat a tiny bird, just hatched out of his egg. It was a little Spix's macaw, his dark blue eyelids opening for the first time to reveal pupils the color of chocolate brown within.

The small chick opened his dark gray beak wide and yawned. Though the sun had completed its rise into the sky long ago, the bird slept longer due to his very young age. He turned his head this way and that, studying his surroundings.

From what his little brain could process, he seemed to be surrounded on three sides by brown. Parts of said wall of brown jutted out in some places, the sharp tips of the color pointing towards him threateningly. The little chick did not like these mean objects. They almost mocked him, challenging him within his own home to see if he dared to approach them.

Below him lay a soft bed of tan strings. The macaw ran a curious wing through the objects, cocking his head with interest. He smiled and let out a small chirp, enjoying what he sat on for it brought him a sense of comfort to his behind. He'd stepped outside of the soft bed before and disliked the way the rough wood poked and prodded at his feathers. Though young, he questioned things frequently with his eyes, a sign of his future intelligence.

At the moment, something else caught his attention. Not a sight per se, but a sound passed through his miniature ears. It called out to the baby macaw, and he turned his head to the fourth side of the tree's interior which appeared to be a blue hole with bits of far away green.

The macaw hesitated at first to investigate the sound. His parents always instructed him to stay clear of this side of the tree, telling him that it was very dangerous should he get too close. But something pulled the bird towards the outside as if it was a magnetic force. He couldn't resist it. The cheerful voices and rhythmic bump of talons against tree bark caused his heart to beat in time with the noise, his own talons to tap and his tail feathers to shake.

He could no longer stand still. Ever so slowly, the bird began to walk. Not used to being in motion at such a young age, his first steps were extra clumsy and after the first third, he tumbled forward. But this didn't stop him. He continued on his way until he reached the very edge of the brown underneath his feet. The sight he saw outside made his jaw drop with delight and he couldn't help but wonder why his parents wouldn't let him see such a thing before.

#

Meanwhile, not far from the little chick's hollow, two birds cut through the underbrush of the rainforest, keeping on high alert for both potential food sources and predators.

The birds, both adult Spix's macaws, one male and one female, frequently completed this morning journey in which they attempted to stock up on food for their budding family. The male, his feathers a slightly darker shade of blue than his wife, turned towards his companion with a smile. "It is a shame that we could not join in on the celebration with our neighbors today, Camila. I remember the good old days when we were a little younger and had nothing more to worry about than party."

Camila rolled her coffee colored eyes at the reminiscing of her husband. Her mate, Ignacio, possessed a carefree spirit which drew her in to him more and more every day. She's always preferred to spend her time alone, i vestigating the jungle wildlife around her, but upon meeting him for the first time on one of her many discoveries, she learned of the many advantages of not being so alone. One of which were she had somebody to tease whenever she felt a little naughty.

She flew a little closer to his left side and bumped into him, getting him to raise his eyebrow in amusement. She returned his gaze with a shy smile, but soon after, her playfulness returned. "Yes, well don't forget honey about our little boy. He's going to raise hell if we don't come home and feed him soon. You remember how he got last time we returned late."

Ignacio chuckled, recalling the colossal tantrum their son threw when they failed to find any Brazil nuts just outside their tree. "Yeah, the neighbors said they heard him crying so loudly, they feared there was danger afoot in out home."

Camila looked away from her husband and sighed, a feeling of sadness resting upon her soul. This change in her attitude did not go unnoticed to Ignacio who flew a bit closer to her, concern clearly discernible in his voice. "Camila, what's the matter?"

The female Spix's macaw stopped flying and placed both of her talons upon the ground. Ignacio followed suit and took her light blue wings in his, trying to get her to look at him. When she wouldn't Ignacio moved his head to the side, and turned her chin with a wing so that her eyes would meet his dark brown ones. He gave her a reassuring smile and said: "Hey, it's okay. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together."

Camila at last averted her gaze from a nearby broken branch to the face of her mate. Anxiety lined her facial features and her small, light gray beak trembled as if she might start crying at any minute. "I'm sorry Ignacio, I know it might seem silly, but I've heard reports from some of the other birds lately that human smugglers have been seen in our area. They take birds from their homes and sell them to people in faraway lands. And those are the lucky birds. The others endure poor conditions in these dark, cramped warehouses for the rest of their lives when bo customers want them. I'm just scared that something will happen to us, especially since we now have a child. What if he gets hurt, or what if we get hurt and can't care for him? He's only a baby!"

Ignacio would be lying if he said he wasn't aware of this same news. He did fear from time to time that harm might come to his family at the hands of greedy humans. But as birds, what could they do? He understood his wife's worries and wished there was more he could do, but all he could provide in this situation was words of comfort and a promise. "Camila, I understand that you're scared, so am I. But I'll do anything and everything in my power to keep both you and our newborn son safe. If things do get bad, we'll move somewhere else. But for the time being, I don't think there's any reason to get all worked up. Do you really think everyone in out area would be out in the open partying if there were humans hiding behind bushes, waiting to pounce?"

Camila considered this for a moment and despite all her previous objections, she needed to admit that her husband made a very valid point here. The birds that lived near them did enjoy a good time, but they were not stupid. They wouldn't leave their homes if any of them had reason to fear an invader was within their vicinity.

She moved her head forward so that it made contact with her mate's. The close contact shared between them made Camila's heart rate quicken. She always felt like her best self when she was around Ignacio. Camila loved him more than anything and wanted to live with him until they were old and gray. "You're right. I shouldn't waste my time worrying when there is such a beautiful day to enjoy. Come on, let's go find breakfast and get home. I can't wait to teach our little baby how to walk today!"

Ignacio grinned and entwined her wing in his own. Giving her a quick peck on the cheek, he motioned with his head for her to follow him. "Let's start by checking over to the left. Last time we went over in that area there were nuts galore."

Camila nodded her head in agreement, but all of a sudden, her eyes narrowed, zooming in on a figure of some sort standing in the distant thicket. From afar, it appeared to be nothing more than a black blob. This struck the female macaw as more than just odd. She didn't remember there being any plants or flowers that color in their neck of the jungle. Even stranger, the object seemed to be getting closer and closer by the minute.

The weird sight made Camila's pulse race for a whole different reason now. Alarm bells rang in her ears, and she could sense the danger she feared all morning coming for them both now. Because her husband stood with the figure to his back, he remained oblivious to the fact that they were not alone. Camila knew she needed to warn him and fast."Ignacio," she looked over his shoulder, eyes filled with worry.

Ignacio raised an eyebrow in confusion. He thought he'd just managed to calm her down. Now what could be the matter? "What?" he asked as he spun around to follow her wingtip. When he faced fully in the opposite direction, his eyes widened, having been caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the being only inches in front of him. From the looks of the large, dark gray beak and the yellow razor sharp talons which protruded from its long, black robe, the creature appeared to be a bird of some sort, likely a macaw. Ignacio decided to try for a lighthearted tone at first. Perhaps if he showed that he didn't harbor any fear towards this bird, the bird would in turn be more inclined to treat him as his equal. "Um, hello there. Who might you be?"

The bird stuck its long, red wings out from underneath the thick fabric of its robe. It reached up and removed the hood which hid its face, revealing a male scarlet macaw underneath. Their suspicions now confirmed that the being was nothing more than a bird just like them, albeit of a different color, all tension within Ignacio and Camila ceased to exist. They greeted the newcomer with friendly smiles and Ignacio took it upon himself to introduce the couple. "It's always nice to meet a new face in the jungle. Welcome to Rio, Sir, my name is Ignacio and this is my wife Camila," he said gesturing to his partner.

Camila stuck out her wing for the scarlet macaw to shake, a gesture he accepted with his own. "We were just out looking for some good nuts to take home for breakfast. Is that why you are out here this early as well? What's your name? Perhaps, we can all look for something to eat together!"

The scarlet macaw formed a sly grin, the kind of expression a child might give their parents after having been caught in a minor act of mischief. The bird bowed in respect to the two Spix's macaws and began to speak. His voice was quite deep and if he looked any different, he might have sounded intimidating. However, his pale yellow eyes and blue-tipped wings painted the picture of innocence upon first glance. Surely, this stranger didn't have one bad bone in his body. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. I go by the name Roger and I must say, this is quite a coincidence. I did just happen to be searching for a tasty treat myself."

Ignacio's eyes widened with delight. He spread his wings in earnest welcome and motioned with his neck for their new friend to follow them. "Well, well, right this way Roger. We think that there are some wonderful Brazil nut trees just to the left of here. We'll all have plenty of food in no time."

Roger chuckled and began to tap his wingtips together, looking down at the robe still covering his waist. The two SPix's macaws did have to admit to themselves that it wasn't everyday a bird wore some type of clothing, but they were never one to judge. If this macaw enjoyed the feel of the fabric against his feathers, well then, it didn't seem to be any of their business. "That is indeed a kind offer, my friends, but I am in the mood for something a little more filling this morning."

Camila arched an eyebrow and laughed, amused by the macaw's blunt confession. "Oh well that isn't a problem, Roger. If you desire something a little more stick-to-your-ribs, I know where we can find some plump, juicy mangoes. They are to die for."

The scarlet macaw snickered under his breath, for the SPix's macaw didn't yet know the irony of the statement she just spoke. He reached under his robe with his left wing, the upper dark red side still visible outside of the black fabric. "Yes, mangoes do happen to be my favorite dessert. However, as a main course, I've always favored the undeniably savory taste of a bird freshly hunted and roasted on a spit."

He licked his chops, drool beginning to drip from his beak at the very thought of the feast he and his comrades back home would soon enjoy. Meanwhile, the two SPix's macaws' faces began to gradually turn pale, their gorgeous blue color fading by the minute. This bird had to be joking right? What he was describing to them was cannibalism? That would mean going against the unspoken rule of the jungle not to harm members of your own kind. No, this scarlet macaw would never commit such a savage act. Although, one fact kept ringing in their minds over and over again. They'd only just met this bird. Who knew what he was capable of?

Both Ignacio and Camila began to back away, quivering in terror down to their very bones as Roger only continued to follow them. A sort of hungry look appeared in his eyes along with a cruel smile on his beak. Clearly, he enjoyed every moment of their fear. Like any good predator, he fed off of the fright of his victims, using that to his advantage as he stalked them. Presently, Roger managed to back both birds up against the bark of a tall tree, the SPix's macaws looking behind themselves in horror as they realized they were trapped.

Camila began shrieking with terror, tears falling down her cheeks and soaking the feathers of her mate who wrapped his large wings around her to bring her comfort. Ignacio stared at the scarlet macaw with pure and utter hatred for the suffering he's brought upon him and his wife. Who did this bird think he was? His voice growled out in a menacing snarl. "Leave us alone! We have a newborn chick in our nest back home; he is only a baby. He needs his parents! You can't hurt us! If you have any sort of heart or goodness within you, you will do what is right and spare us!"

Roger paused in his advance, close enough however so as not to offer any sense of relief to the Spix's macaws. He merely formed an amused smirk on his beak, and without even speaking another word, his victims already knew what he'd decided. Camila closed her eyes and whispered to her mate: "I love you, Ignacio. There's no one I would rather die with than you. Our little boy will be fine. I could sense it from the minute his egg hatched. He has a sort of fire and strength within him. He is destined for great things. It just places a heavy burden on my heart knowing that I will not get to see our little Emilio perform them."

Ignacio closed his eyes, untold amounts of anguish washing over his soul as the words of his wife's farewell collided with his ears. He couldn't bring himself to speak. The thought of failing to keep his family safe brought him shame and guilt which he would likely carry with him to the afterworld. All he could do was hold his dearest Camila as tight as he possibly could, to help her stay calm when the claw of this heartless villain struck them down.

The evil scarlet macaw let out a sadistic cackle, grinning with sheer delight at the suffering of his victims. For longer than he could remember, he longed to make birds feel the most horrific pain. Before making his final move, Roger placed a wing over the spot where his heart should have been. However, he felt no beating of it. In fact, he was not sure if it still existed. All that he knew was he held no morals or respect for any life that was not his own. "Oh you two are nothing more than fools. And yet, you both serve a purpose which means you are not entirely worthless. As Spix's macaws you are both a rare delicacy. You will make a fine meal for my boss on his birthday. Just think, you will have the honor of being the centerpiece of the dinner for the great and powerful future Emperor of Rio."

With one final cackle, Roger withdrew a massive, razor-sharp blade from underneath his coat which he borrowed from his master's weapon supply that morning, and slashed it across both of the macaws, their terrified screams drowned out by the cheerful singing and chanting of the birds nearby, each one oblivious to the carnage which unfolded.

#

Deep within the Amazon jungle lay a cave, hewn out of rock and hidden by a covering of thick palm trees and other vegetation. No bird or any other animal for that matter dared to venture anywhere near this location, for the plants were much too thick and close together for any average creature to properly traverse the landscape. However, if one went to describe the four birds and monkey whom called the cave home, average would be the last word that would come to mind. Some more suitable terms might be greedy, vicious, sadistic, insane, and if one wanted to be nice, ambitious.

Presently, one of the five said residents fluttered down onto the mammoth, smooth boulder which served as the entrance to the cave. The scarlet macaw named Roger whistled a merry tune as he traveled along the pitch-black passageway which gave any potential intruders the illusion that the cave was uninhabited. Should any fools choose to venture any deeper into the cave, however, they would get a whiff of the poison Roger's comrade kept on standby to deal with any unwanted visitors.

After a few minutes, Roger emerged into a wider section of the cave, illuminated by several torches tied with thick vines to the rocky walls. He placed down the two Spix's macaws he'd murdered an hour earlier, now both expertly gutted and drained of any excess blood which might make preparing their meat more of a hassle. Roger let out an exhausted sigh from carrying the heavy load such a long distance. He rubbed his wings together vigorously to rid them of the dry blood which stuck to his wings and acted as a nuisance to him. Had the blood still been liquid and fresh, Roger would have licked it up without any hesitation. But old, dry blood? That would never do for a predator as important as him.

The scarlet macaw looked up and snorted haughtily at the sight of another bird entering from one of the five smaller passages which led to each of their respective quarters. Roger rolled his eyes upon realizing it was a certain female Spix's macaw who joined him now in their main planning room, a place where they devised all of their battle schemes and tortured any victims who might hold valuable information to them.

However, unlike the one he'd met in the jungle before, this macaw only held one eye, lost many years ago in a terrible act of violence perpetrated by humans, and unbeknownst to her, by Roger himself. In place of where her eye used to be sat much thick, swollen, red scar tissue. The bird with these devastating injuries despised the way they made her look and for this very reason always kept her facial features hidden behind a pristine, white robe. The bird's name was Amber, and the only thing which kept her going each day was the thought that one day, her younger sister Jewel would pay with her life for leaving her to die the day the humans came and destroyed her family's home.

Although Roger had been the one to "save" Amber from the humans on the fateful day when her life came crashing down, her initiation into the little group of mercenaries she was now a part of changed her. Her emotions focused only on one goal and that was vengeance, symbolized by the shadow mark of fire she wore on her wing. Every member of the group known throughout Rio as the Dark Robe Society, due to the signature cloaks each bird and monkey wore, possessed one of these marks on their body. For example, the mark of duality belonged to Roger, having earned it through his deeds, evil on the surface but often containing some hidden motive one only discovered when analyzing his behavior further.

Needless to say, as Amber only cared about making her sister suffer, she did not have time for such trivial matters as treating her comrades with compassion. Not that any of them would repay the favor anyway. Each only looked out for their own goals. In fact, it amazed many of the poor, unfortunate creatures who came across them that they managed to work so well together despite this.

Stepping closer towards the center of the room, Amber's face scrunched up in disgust as she caught a whiff of the mess Roger brought into their home. Looking down on the gray, dimly lit floor now, she recoiled for a moment and retreated a few paces. Roger looked at her with an amused grin on his beak and suppressed the urge to laugh at this embarrassing display. He'd always considered Amber to be the weakest member of their group. She was after all a Spix's macaw, the very species the Dark Robe Society aimed to eliminate. One day she would meet her end alongside the rest of her filthy, inferior race. Until then, however, Roger planned to use her, to toy with her emotions before the day finally came when we would get to confess how it had been he who ruined her life. Then, with the full sting of betrayal not even settled yet, he would strike her down, just as he had so many innocent creatures before.

Amber glared at the scarlet macaw, though Roger pretended not to notice her scathing expression. He looked to the side of the cave and rolled his eyes, the smile never leaving his beak. Roger closed his eyes, waiting eagerly for her to begin yelling at him for bringing raw meat around her, something which he knew she still hadn't gotten used to after being forced to change her herbivorous diet upon joining the group. "Why the hell can't you guys eat that bloody grotesque thing outside? Even better, why can't everyone else except Marco and Jose eat what we're supposed to, fruit and nuts! My beak isn't even built to break apart that greasy garbage, and no matter how many times I tell you all this you don't listen!"

Roger widened his eyes innocently and placed a wingtip to his chin, pretending to be oblivious. "We talked about this before? Dear me Amber, I'm so sorry. It must have slipped my mind while I was out putting everything in motion for the next phase of our plan." He stepped over the bodies of the slain Spix's macaws and got right up in her face, the cocky smirk on his beak widening even further. AMber, in turn, took a step back, not liking to have any bird, even her teammate invade her personal space. "And what were you doing? Sitting on your tailfeathers? Whining about your sister whom after all this time you have failed to kill?"

Amber snapped her beak at Roger, causing him to jump away from her in an over dramatic fashion. He bent at his waist and burst out laughing at her attempt to assert herself. If ever Amber did have the nerve to lay a claw upon Roger, he knew that he would win with no contest. He'd been fighting for much longer than she had. Before she knew it, he'd have cut her head right off of her shoulders and put the perpetually moody bird out of her misery.

Wiping a tear caused by his laughter, Roger looked at Amber once more, now seething with rage at being mocked. She pointed an accusing wing at the scarlet macaw and screeched: "You know that Master Marco forbids me to leave on my own accord! Why if it wasn't for him and his stupid genius plan, which by the way has been taking way too long, I would have tracked Jewel down and killed her only days after we met last!" She gestured once more to the Spix's macaws upon the ground, becoming annoyed with the way their glassy, lifeless eyes continued to stare into her soul. "And put those things in your room or something. I'm tired of having a staring contest with Mr. Hole in the Chest."

"God, what is with all the yelling?" shouted a third voice from the left side of the room.

Roger turned and smirked upon noticing the newcomer whom had just joined them. The shout came from none other than the Dark Robe Society's poison master himself, an albino SPix's macaw named Jollo. Jollo was a very rare type of bird. Rather than the blue feathers characteristic of his species, his exterior looked as pale as a ghost. However, like all the other birds in the society, Jollo's feathers were covered up by his respective robe, its color an emerald green.

His beady red eyes glared out at the two quarreling macaws, obviously ticked over them interrupting whatever he'd been in the midst of doing. Roger spread his wings and walked over to Jollo, wrapping one wing around him and ushering him towards where he and Amber stood. "Ah Jollo, it is good to see you my friend. AMber and I were just talking about how best to cook the fabulous Spix's macaws I hunted for Marco's birthday celebration today. What do you think? Shall they be roasted whole, or sliced apart and their most delicious parts cooked separately? You know how Marco prefers a good thigh above all else."

Amber rolled her eyes, knowing full well they'd discussed nothing of the sort. However, she didn't waste her breath arguing now that the males in the room outnmbered her two to one. Being the only female in the group definitely got old after a while, especially since her comrades were all sexist pigs. Jollo in particular, was very disgusting when it came to women. He did after all bear the shadow mark of lust upon his wing. That wasn't even the worst of it though, that part dealt with who exactly Jollo lusted after. And that bird was none other than the Spix's macaw she hated with every fiber of her being, her younger sister, Jewel. "Why are you even here, Jollo? Shouldn't you be in your room fantasizing about my sister, you creep."

Jollo just cackled, completely unbothered by the remark meant to insult him. The albino Spix's macaw took great pride in his slimy nature. Even before he joined the society, he'd stalk female birds, sometimes even kidnapping them and taking advantage of them in the worst ways possible. In every way, Jollo embodied the most selfish evil imaginable, that of a sexual predator, and the level of atrociousness in his acts more often than not rivaled that of their leader himself. "As a matter of fact, pretty bird, Jollo was in the middle of doing just that when you interrupted Jollo's concentration. How can Jollo fully enjoy the feel of his feathers against that of the lovely Jewel's when you and Roger are fighting like chicks?!"

Amber took several deep breaths, urging herself not to lose her hot temper. There wasn't really anything that ruffled her feathers more than Jollo's insane tendency to always refer to himself in the third person. She plastered on a fake smile and clasped her wings together in front of her beak, talking super slowly on purpose to patronize the bird she hated most out of all the rest of her arrogant comrades. "Okay, well, why doesn't Jollo go into Marco's quarters and drag his butt out here so I can say Happy Birthday and then wait outside while you eat your fill of that crap on the floor!"

"No need for that Jollo, I am here now." bellowed an extremely deep voice from behind the female Spix's macaw.

Every feather on the back of Amber's neck stood on end and her heart began to race into overdrive at the sound of their leader's voice. No one knew how to strike fear into the souls of birds like their commander in chief who walked right in the center of the room, bending down to observe the kills ROger brought in for the day. Marco, a large and muscular hawk dressed in a blue colored robe so dark it resmebled indigo, ripped off a piece of the exposed meat on the body of the deceased male.

He studied the pink chunk of flesh in his talons which were so sharp they could have cut through an economy sized stack of printer paper in one swipe. Squeezing the hunk of meat, Marco caused rivers of blood to emerge from deep within which did not yet dry up. His demonic yellow eyes shined with pleasure at the sight. Ever since he'd tasted blood for the first time following the day he murdered his own abusive father, Marco developed an addiction for its salty, gamey flavor. He simply could not get enough and for this reason, traveled the jungle night and day in search of fresh meat to satisfy his natural predatory desires.

He opened his beak, now dripping with saliva, and popped the morsel inside. He chomped on it slowly and deliberately, wanting to savor every last bit of the blood which squirted out of the meat each time his beak made contact with it. After he swallowed his little test bite, Marco licked his beak clean. The hawk turned to Roger and dropped a hefty dark brown wing upon the macaw's shoulder, preparing to do something he didn't do often, congratulate the bird. "Well done, Roger. I couldn't help but overhear from the Loudmouth in the back that it was you who brought in this fine specimen. And is it what I think it is? A SPix's macaw?"

Roger beamed with pride at having earned something so rare as Marco's approval. The underhanded jab the hawk hurled at Amber made the compliment all the more sweeter. He looked over Marco's shoulder and stuck his middle wingtip in the air at Amber, who whirled on her talon and stalked across the center of the cave towards the exit. She spun around once more and glared at the hawk, unable to control her fury any longer. "You know what, you two deserve each other. You both have intolerable egos and neither of you are grateful for anything I do to contribute around here. Have fun, I wouldn't say Happy Birthday to you if you held me against my will!"

With that, Amber down the pitch-black tunnel of the cave until she could no longer be seen. Roger turned to his boss,the slightest bit of concern on his usual calm, emotionless face. "Master, shall I hunt her down? What if she exposes our hideout?"

Marco, however, merely held up a wing to silence the scarlet macaw and smiled, not worried in the least bit. "Roger, there is no need to get all worked up. Amber is weak; she always has been. It's why I chose her. Unlike the rest of you, she is easily manipulated. She is like one of those wretched dogs. No matter how many times you abuse them, they come right back to you, begging for you to welcome them home. I predict she'll be back by the time dinner is served."

The hawk moved a few paces to the right, studying his own shadow mark as he did so, the mark of power. Just looking at it every now and again renewed Marco's confidence and reminded him why he needed to follow his master plan to the tee. If done right, he would one day be the Emperor of Rio. Every bird would cower in fear of his might, and we would rule with an iron talon. The mere thought made Marco cackle with delight at all the ways he could make the population of birds suffer. He turned once more to his two companions and instructed them: "Jollo, get Jose to come out here. We now have an open place at the table. Roger, get those birds cooking. I must say I am flattered that you went through the trouble of doing this just for me. How did the rest of your mission go by the way?"

While Jollo went off to fetch the fifth and only non-bird member of their team, Roger got to work, heaving the Spix's macaws onto a large stick positioned above a collection of sticks encircled by stray rocks from the cave. The scarlet macaw struck two of the stones together until they created sparks which lit the twigs within the enclosed space on fire. It would only take about a half hour before the four of them could dine on a meal fit for an emperor. There was truly nothing else like the meat of a Spix's macaw. In fact, Roger never did get to taste one now that he thought about it. He couldn't wait to indulge on a full specimen.

That task now done, he brushed the cave floor dust off of his bright red wings and addressed the hawk: "It was no trouble I assure you Master. I slaughtered those birds within two minutes of stumbling upon them. You should have seen the fools. They actually invited me to go Brazil nut hunting with them!"

Marco's eyes widened in disbelief and he threw his head back in wicked laughter. "Oh the stupidity of some of these pathetic creatures! They don't even deserve the gift of life. Only the strongest birds and animals should be able to survive, which is why when I am Emperor of Rio, I will take great pains to ensure all the weakest beings are wiped out."

"Speaking of that end goal," Roger continued, "the very Spix's macaws you will soon feast on are the parents of that cursed chick you instructed me to get the smugglers after. I'm sure that he has long since been sent on his way to God knows where, but rest assured, he will never set talon in Rio again. Their entire population now ceases to exist minus Amber's sister, but she is of no concern. With no more males to reproduce with, she will soon die all on her own and then, out goals will have been completed at last."

A vicious grin blanketed Marco's face upon hearing this news. He raised his massive wings in victory and allowed himself an evil cackle. "Mwahahahaha, finally everything is falling into place! Excellent work Roger, you truly are an evil mastermind my friend. I knew when I recruited you as the first member of my band of villains that I made the right choice. There is only one thing left to do. My dear sister Sabrina paid me a visit just the other day, instructing me on where we needed to go next should you be successful. There is a tribe of hawks not far from here led by a male by the name of Luciano. I am to gain his trust until he and his wife give birth to a son. At a time Sabrina will later reveal to me should everything go according to plan, I am to sell the boy into slavery. Only then, will have I accomplished everything I need to get my wings on the divine power promised to me as a child."

Roger nodded his head, assenting to the new plan of action the society would soon undertake. He opened his beak to assure Marco that he could count on him for the job when the clickety-clack of two sets of claws sounded upon the cave's smooth floor to their left. Both birds turned their heads and greeted Jollo and marmoset by his side with a half-smile. The monkey-like creature named Jose was perhaps the most unlikely member of the group. His body and face, both unpleasant to the eye, were draped in a yellow robe. Upon one of his paws, he bore the mark of greed, a trait shared by many individuals in his species.

Jose marched over to Marco and stuck a paw into the air for the hawk to shake. Marco returned the gesture but made sure not to show too much kindness to the marmoset. He may have been willing to let his guard down ever so slightly with Roger and Jollo, but not with Amber and certainly not with an animal he considered to be beneath him. The only reason he allowed Jose to be a part of the society in the first place was Sabrina instructed him to. Sometimes, he questioned why he bothered to listen to her, but then Marco always remembered that her prophecies turned out to be correct no matter what. Therefore, no matter how reluctant he appeared at first, Marco obeyed his sister in the end, a fact she knew she could count on.

The marmoset formed an excited grin, exposing his hideous yellow teeth, forcing Marco to put on the fakest smile he'd ever had to wear since dealing with his father as a chick. Jose hopped back and forth on his talons, unable to stand still as he said: "Hey Boss, Happy Birthday. Another year older, another year closer until the time you kick the bucket."

Marco simply rolled his eyes, taking great pains not to lash out at the marmoset for his words which could have been interpreted as an implication that even a bird as formidable as the hawk met their end in some way. "Yes well, lucky for me, that day will not arrive anytime soon." He approached the spit where the bodies of the two final adult Spix's macaws on Earth roasted away, their flesh beginning to char. Bits of black, oily skin broke apart and landed in the fire below, disappearing into a sizzling flash of spark and flame.

The hawk gave the birds a turn to allow the other side to become cooked evenly as well. He then faced his comrades once more and crossed his wings over his ripped chest, giving them a sly smile. "In the meantime, let's just take this day to relax. We've all earned it. Everything Roger set out to accomplish he succeeded in, not to mention, it does indeed happen to be my birthday. Pull up a boulder, sit down and just chill. I swear it won't cost you your head."

**You heard the hawk, David! Happy Birthday buddy! Thank you for being the best friend and mentor I could have ever asked for. I really hope you enjoyed this little tale. It was a blast to write and I hope I did the Dark Robes justice! ;D**


End file.
